Trio jailed for over 14 years for Cavendish burglary

Ashton Seymour, Sammy Okat-Uma previously pleaded guilty to conspiracy to burgle and Anthony Cosgrove was found guilty after a trial.

The trio targeted the house of an 81-year-old woman in Cavendish, near Sudbury.

The court previously heard the victim had her screams muffled by the hand of a man who suddenly appeared in her bedroom just after midnight on 16 April 2020 at her house in Cavendish, near Sudbury, Ipswich Crown Court heard.

The victim, who was in her late 70s at the time of the incident, had left her door unlocked and the burglars rushed in after she went to bed.

Sammy Okat-Uma was jailed for 59 months at Ipswich Crown Court. (Image: Suffolk police)

She told the court how Sammy Okat-Uma attacked her: “He pounced on me. He put his hand across my face and I couldn’t breathe.

“I said 'what do you want? I can’t breathe. You’re killing me'.

“When he relaxed his hand I shouted help again.”

The court heard that a scream from the 81-year-old alerted her neighbour, Jennifer Hewitt, through the thin walls.

When Ms Hewitt came into the house calling out if the victim was alright before the burglars bolted out the door.

But they “incredibly carelessly” left behind a bag described by prosecutor David Baird as a “burglary kit” and inside it was tape and latex gloves.  

In the end only £20 was taken by the burglars.

Forensic evidence on the bag linked Sammy Okat-Uma, 45, of New North Road, Ilford, Essex to the scene.

Ashton Seymour was jailed for 52 months at Ipswich Crown Court. (Image: Suffolk police)

Ashton Seymour, 48, of New Wanstead, London, was arrested based on an examination of Okat-Uma’s phone and he too pleaded guilty.

Cosgrove was convicted after pleading not guilty based on cell site analysis of his phone.

A fourth man had been charged in connection with the incident and had pleaded guilty to conspiracy to burgle in February 2022, but he died later that year in a road traffic collision prior to being sentenced.

In mitigation for Okat-Uma the court heard he is not a professional criminal and had admitted the offence.

In mitigation for Seymour the court again heard he is not a career criminal and feels “absolute shame and remorse”.

Anthony Cosgrove was jailed for 62 months. (Image: Suffolk police)

For Cosgrove again it was said he was an amateur and this was “very out of character”.

Judge Richard Kelly gave Okat-Uma four years and 11 months in custody.

Seymour was given four years and four months in custody.

Cosgrove was given five years and two months in custody.

After the sentencing, Detective Sergeant Glenn Toms said: “This was a truly appalling crime that demonstrates the depths of what some criminals are prepared to do.

“The victim was understandably affected by the events of that night, but displayed great resilience in assisting us with our enquiries, along with her neighbour who demonstrated incredible bravery in coming to her aid and being confronted with the intruders.

“Three of these men ultimately admitted their guilt for their roles in conspiring to commit this crime, but Anthony Cosgrove chose to prolong the victim’s wait for justice. The jury were satisfied that he was involved with the others and were unanimous in finding him guilty. 

“This was a complex investigation that required many strands of intertwining evidence to prove the defendants were those responsible. This included forensic evidence, mobile phone analysis and ANPR data and was a real team effort to enable us to convict the offenders.”